Plateau Speaker declares predecessor’s seat vacant

By PETER AMINE

The Speaker, Plateau State House of Assembly, Yakubu Sanda, on Tuesday declared vacant the seat of his predecessor, Assemblyman Abok Ayuba, for defecting from All Progressives Congress (APC) to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Abok who represents Jos East State Constituency is the immediate speaker who was impeached in October last year.

The former speaker officially defected from APC to PDP on March 18, 2022.

Sanda, after reading a letter written to him by Mr Rufus Bature, Plateau APC Chairman seeking to declare the seat vacant, immediately made the declaration.

According to the letter, Bature informs the speaker that the party receives a letter from the former speaker seeking to withdraw his membership of the APC.

The APC chairman said that the withdrawal from the party contravenes section 109 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

“The party which sponsored his election wishes to request that, as the Speaker of the Plateau State House Assembly, you should invoke the power conferred on you by section 109 (ii).

“Invite the power to accordingly declare vacant the seat of Ayuba since the constitutional conditions that warrant his defection do not exist.

“There is no division whatsoever in the All Progressives Congress in Plateau to enable him take benefit of the provision of Section 109(i) g of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

“The consequence of his defection without any justification is that he must vacate his seat as stipulated under section 109(1)g of the 1999 Constitution (as amended)” the letter reads.

The speaker also declared the seat of member representing Rukuba-Irigwe in the state house of assembly, Rep. Musa Agah vacant following his election to the National Assembly.

Agah was during the February 26 by-election elected to represent Jos North/Bassa Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives.

Meanwhile, member of the opposition PDP Timothy Dantong kicked against the declaration of the former speaker seat vacant as illegal.

Dantong who represent Riyom State Constituency in the house of assembly said that the declaration was done without fair hearing. (NAN)